Day six of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games delivered a series of unforgettable matches as the quarterfinal stage of the Mens and Womens Singles competitions concluded. The day was marked by historic achievements, thrilling encounters, and unwavering determination from the worlds top table tennis players.

Hugo Calderano etched his name into the annals of table tennis history by becoming the first player outside of Asia or Europe to reach the Olympic mens singles semifinals. The South American stars dominant 4-0 victory over Jang Woojin showcased Calderanos status as a global force in table tennis.

Its an even bigger feat that Im the first outside of Asia or Europe. I had some emotions after the match. Its really nice to represent a whole continent. At the same time I want so much more. I want to keep going, reach the final and maybe even a gold medal. Hugo Calderano

Korea Republics Shin Yubin has also made history becoming the first player from her nation to reach the Olympic womens singles semifinals since 2004. Her quarterfinal clash was dramatic, as she built a 3-0 lead before Japans Miu Hirano staged a comeback to level the score. Shins resilience shone through in the deciding game, securing her a place in the semifinals where she will face defending champion Chen Meng.

Felix Lebrun electrified the Paris crowd with a dramatic seven-game victory over Chinese Taipeis Lin Yun-Ju, securing his place in the semifinals and reviving French hopes of a gold medal for the first time in 24 years. Speaking about this, Felix said, Its been one of my objectives. I was going into this tournament as the third seed. I said I wanted to hold my own, but its not easy. Being there is different. Weve got some great champions in France, but its been a while since weve had good results at the Olympic Games (in table tennis). Im not there yet, but Im still very proud of reaching the semifinal.

Fan Zhendong, showing immense resilience, triumphed over Tomokazu Harimoto in a gripping seven-game battle. With the possibility of China missing out on a mens singles medal for the first time since Seould 1988 hanging over the tournament, Fans victory was crucial in maintaining the nations strong presence in the medal race.

In the womens singles, defending champion Chen Meng continued her dominant form with a flawless 4-0 victory over Sofia Polcanova. Chens performance reinforced her status as a formidable contender for back-to-back Olympic golds. Meanwhile, world number one Sun Yingsha advanced with a decisive 4-0 win against Cheng I-Ching, maintaining her strong bid for the gold that eluded her in Tokyo. Japans Hina Hayata ended PRKs Pyon Song Gyongs remarkable run with a hard-fought 4-3 victory in another seven-game thriller, setting up an exciting semifinal clash.

Tomorrows semifinals promise to be a spectacle of world-class table tennis. In the womens event, top seed Sun Yingsha faces a stern test against Hina Hayata, who is looking to upset the odds and reach the gold medal match in her first Olympic Games. In the other womens semifinal, defending champion Chen Meng takes on Korea Republics Shin Yubin, who has defied expectations to reach this stage.

In the mens competition, the highly anticipated clash between Fan Zhendong and home favourite Felix Lebrun will ignite the Paris crowd. Both players have showcased exceptional form and will be eager to secure a place in the gold medal match. The other semifinal will see Truls Moregard take on Hugo Calderano in a battle between two top non-asian stars. Day 7s action will kickstart from 10 AM (GMT+2).

The ITTF anticipates another exciting day of competition, filled with exceptional performances and historic moments as players strive for Olympic glory. Stay tuned for more updates and thrilling matches from Paris 2024 and view the draw for the rest of the competition here.